A tribute to the art of sichuan cuisine

For this project I explored the many aspects that go into creating this flavorful Chinese cuisine

Synopsys : For many people when they think of Sichuan cuisine their first thought is – Spicy! And while the cuisine does have a number of dishes that will cause beads of sweat form on your forehead it is actually much more than that. One of the main flavor profiles that is unique to Sichuan cuisine is the numbing flavor, known as Ma, which comes from the Sichuan peppercorn. Combined with spice from chilly peppers, La, you will often hear the term “Ma-La” when describing many Sichuan dishes.

But these are just two flavor profiles amonst many. Decades ago it was decided that Sichuan cuisine has 24 flavor profiles. However, that number, as I learned, is somewhat arbitrary. For this project we identified 30 different flavor profiles and represented those flavors in dishes created by Master Chef Xu Fan in Chengdu, China.

This coffee-table style book is much more than flavor profiles and plated cuisine. The concept, conceived by Desmond Chang, chief executive officer and head of creative resources at Inhesion Asia, was incorporate the many aspects that contribute to the making of Sichuan. Desmond concluded that a combination of culture, history, terroir, ingredients, and technique, all have a significant contribution to the cuisine.

The Flavors of Sichuan – A Tribute to the Art of Sichuan Cuisine documents visually these various aspects. Additionally in included are portraits and interviews with chefs and other cuisine experts where they present their own unique philosophies and approachs to the cuisine.

This visually driven project is a novel approach in presenting one of the world’s great cuisines.

Book Specs

Title: The Flavors of Sichuan; A Tribut to the Art of Sichuan Cuisine

Publisher: Desmond Chang

Photography: David Hartung

Text: Johnathan Siu

Design: Alicia Beebe

Editor: Mamie Chen

Consultant: Mark Hammons

Pages: 244

Number of Photos: 154

Size: 32cm x 32cm (12 5/8 x 12 5/8 inches)